竞争总是意味着等待人们做出选择。像VCR（盒式录像机）便是如此。在二十世纪八十年代，人们有两种选择：VHS制式和Betamax制式。最终VHS制式获胜，Betamax制式除了专业使用的以外，从此消失。

More recently, the VHS, or video home system, format has been disappearing as people choose DVD players.

最近，随着越来越多的人们选择DVD播放器，VHS（家用录像系统）制式也逐渐退出了历史舞台。

But now the two newest kinds of DVD players are in competition. Blu-ray and HD DVD are both designed for use with high definition televisions. These produce bigger, sharper pictures. They work best when showing movies or TV programs made in true high definition.But high def takes up more memory, so a new kind of DVD, digital video or versatile disc, was needed.

但现在又有两种新型DVD播放器竞争激烈。蓝光DVD和HD DVD的设计均用于高清电视，它们产生的图像更大更清晰。在播放真正高清制作的影片和电视节目时，它们的效果非常好。但高清却要占据更多的内存，因此就需要一种新型DVD（数字视频光盘或数字万能光盘）。

Blu-ray and HD DVD are similar in technology. Both use a blue laser to read the information on the disc. But HD DVDs cost less to produce. They can be made with existing equipment, while Blu-ray DVDs cannot. But a Blu-ray disc holds more memory: about fifty gigabytes compared to thirty gigabytes for an HD DVD.

蓝光DVD和HD DVD在技术上相仿，两者都采用蓝色激光读取光盘上的信息。但HD DVD的生产成本更低些，它可以利用现有设备进行制作，而蓝光DVD却不能。但蓝光光盘的内存更大，约有50G，而HD DVD光盘容量只有30G。